Extreme Temperature Ceramics and Their Role in Aerospace Design
Axiom Materials is the largest producer of oxide-oxide ceramic matrix composites in the world. Also known as extreme temperature ceramics and ultra-high temperature ceramics (UHTCs), the materials are ideal for designing and building the most advanced air and spacecraft.
We are so committed to extreme temperature ceramics that we have developed fully automated process equipment and test labs to guarantee we produce industry-leading:
- Woven prepregs
- Unidirectional slit tapes
- Strong adhesives
- Surfacing films
- Bulk and injection molding compounds.
Our ox-ox prepreg materials are worth considering for your next aerospace project. Contact us and let us help you choose the right product for your application. In the meantime, let’s talk about the role extreme temperature ceramics play in aerospace design.
Withstanding Excessive Heat
Extreme temperature ceramics are so named because they are capable of withstanding tremendous heat. As refractory ceramic materials, they can handle temperatures in excess of 2,000°C with few worries about degradation. In aerospace applications, temperatures in excess of 1,400°C are fairly normal. So it’s easy to see why extreme temperature ceramics are so valuable.
In addition to being able to withstand high heat, the materials also offer exceptional thermal stability. In other words, they present low thermal expansion but high thermal shock resistance. These two properties are what help extreme temperature ceramics stand up to extreme temperature changes over short amounts of time.
A Few Additional Benefits
Extreme temperature ceramics are valuable to aerospace design for a few additional reasons. Here are just three of them:
- Strength and Hardness – Extreme temperature ceramics are already strong. But they maintain both strength and hardness even in high temperatures. That makes them ideal for aerospace applications.
- Low Density – Compared to metals, extreme temperature ceramics offer lower densities. This contributes to weight reduction without compromising aircraft integrity.
- Corrosion and Wear – Both corrosion and wear are common concerns for high performance space and aircraft. Extreme temperature ceramics resist both, leading to better component performance and longer life.
Extreme temperature ceramics bring a lot to the table. But let us go one step further. How do they impact aerospace design?
Better Materials Make for Better Aircraft
The simplest way to put it is to say that better materials make for better aircraft. Being a better material, extreme temperature ceramics make for better thermal protection for both spacecraft and hypersonic aircraft. But there’s more:
- Better Engines – Designers can build better engines capable of withstanding higher temperatures. Energy efficiency and fuel consumption are also improved.
- Better Propulsion Systems – Designers can rely on the high heat resistance that ox-ox ceramics offer to create better rocket propulsion systems. We see the ceramics utilized frequently on rocket exhaust nozzles.
- Better Electronic Systems – Designers can create better electronic systems that play a key role in missile guidance, satellite positioning, and the control systems found in air and spacecraft.
One of the most exciting prospects extreme heat ceramics offer is their adaptability to hypersonic travel. Even now, our industry is researching applications for the ceramics in the hypersonic aircraft of the future. Researchers want to know how extreme heat ceramics perform in terms of temperature and thermal shock at hypersonic speeds.
We are proud to be a global leader in extreme temperature ceramics for aerospace applications. The things we continue to learn about these amazing materials are helping us contribute to some of the most advanced aerospace designs the world has ever seen.
If you think your next project would benefit from extreme temperature ceramics, contact Axiom Materials. Let us talk about finding the right ceramics or other composites for whatever you are working on.